34113 (2026). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister of Revenue

34113 (2026). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister of Revenue: What procurement process, if any, was used for purchasing artificial intelligence tools, if any, currently being used within the Minister’s departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any?

Hon Simon Watts: Officials advise that Inland Revenue has not undertaken a dedicated procurement process specifically for the purchase of AI tools. AI capabilities currently available within Inland Revenue are primarily embedded within broader enterprise technology platforms, software products, and services that were procured through standard procurement processes for wider business and operational purposes. In some instances, suppliers have subsequently introduced AI-enabled functionality as part of product enhancements, upgrades, or service developments. As a result, AI capabilities have been acquired as components of existing technology solutions rather than through separate procurement activities for standalone AI tools. Where AI functionality is proposed for use, Inland Revenue applies appropriate governance, security, privacy, legal, and risk management assessment processes before approving its use within the organisation.